Tom Kiefaber, the former owner of the Senator Theatre, recently stole the spotlight at a Baltimore City Council meeting by storming the dais in council chambers, and taking a seat next to City Council President Bernard C. “Jack” Young.
Now Kiefaber plans on taking Young’s seat as council president by challenging him in the Sept. 13 election.
During a press conference Thursday, where Kiefaber began by recounting his grievances with the city, he announced that he is running for City Council President.
The deadline to file as a candidate in the Democratic primary is July 5.
The conference was held at 501 Orkney Road, which Kiefaber once owned. The property has since been foreclosed on by the city and its front yard is now overgrown with weeds. He joked that he chose to hold the conference there in contrast to the tree lined streets and manicured lawns in Ashburton where Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake made her official reelection announcement earlier this week.
Kiefaber, who wore his Ray Ban sunglasses throughout the conference, said he would run as a candidate of the people, and that he would not take donations from developers.
He also said that he wants to rent the Senator Theatre to hold his first campaign event.
My son phoned me last night telling me to turn on the news. WBAL. I caught most of a story they did on your announcement to run for city council president. I was a bit disappointed to hear Rod Daniels say that there were no visible supporters. Had you made an announcement prior to the local news coverage? I'm sure I could have been there and probably brought along other supporters, but I wan't aware that this was happening. Also, it was said that you were thrown out of city hall again. What happened? The video I saw today just showed you sitting (though not on the platform this time) but seated with other citizens. Can ypu pleaw fill us in to what's happening?
1. Crime 2. Grime 3. High property taxes